Harris expects Millwall fringe players to ask for moves

MILLWALL boss Neil Harris says he will not stand in the way of any player who wants to leave the club in January.

John Marquis (pictured), Paris Cowan-Hall, Jack Powell and Lee Martin could all be on the move this month, either on loan or permanently, after featuring only sporadically in the first team this season.

Kris Twardek, the 18-year-old Czech Republic underage international who featured for Millwall in pre-season before breaking his toe, may also be given the opportunity to build up some experience with a view to eventually challenging for a place in the Lions first team.

Harris has relied on a core group of 18 players so far this season, and he said he understands the positions of those players on the periphery of the first team who may be feeling frustrated with the lack of competitive game time.

Cowan-Hall, Powell and Marquis have already spent time out on loan and there is expected to be interest this month in 28-year-old winger Martin, who has started just four games this season.

“Things have been up in the air, players have been out on loan,” Harris said. “A few of the players who haven’t had that many first-team opportunities this season with us are at the stage now where they’re coming out of contract and I think they’re going to want to play regular football.

“So I do expect agents to be calling me and players knocking on my door to say, ‘If I’m not playing regularly then I might need to look for another opportunity somewhere else’.

“As ever, I’m really cool with that because it’s a short career and you work really hard Monday to Friday to go to bed with butterflies on Friday night looking forward to Saturday afternoon at three o’clock.

“If you’re not getting an opportunity you should naturally fight for your place or want that opportunity somewhere else. I certainly expect a couple of my players who haven’t been involved to do that.”